Book Reviews & Thoughts

On the Fence – Kasie West

Synopsis

For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds,

aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn’t know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she’s spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can’t solve Charlie’s biggest problem: she’s falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Review

THIS BOOK WAS ADORABLE. It’s such a good “easy-breezy” summer read. Even when my eyes felt like they were going to fall out, I COULDN’T STOP READING.

I really enjoyed all layers to the story. It had three main storylines that all blended together well. Of course, there was the romance. The fence chats were handled in a such a way that was realistic, playful, and cute. I can just imagine the characters reminiscing over those late-night conversations in a few years.

I also loved the family-related storyline. You could tell something was off there, and it was great to see that build over time. New information can change everything, and for a moment it seemed like the news might be too much for Charlie to handle. But she had such a great support system by her side, and I truly think the news was beneficial for Charlie. It reinforced her resilience, strength, and fortune for the family by her side. ALSO, GAGE WON MY HEART OVER.

Then there was the personal storyline. Charlie learned to explore her femininity and understood herself in such a fulfilling way. I loved the other characters in this segment, no matter how small a role they played. Amber was fantastic, Skye was cool, and I loved Linda. The little Easter Egg to The Distance Between Us was a nice little nudge to prior readers (also, very Dessen-esque). I loved the football boys too (and I had a soft spot for Dave). Other characters like Lauren helped shatter stereotypes and character tropes in such a great way. Also, Charlie’s dad’s co-worker Carol made for some great moments.

Kasie West KNOWS WHAT SHE’S DOING HERE. I loved On the Fence!

Related Reading

The Truth About Forever,Lock and Key & Along for the Ride – Sarah Dessen (BASICALLY, ANY DESSEN BOOK — but those ones especially!)